Improvement in safety-pins



; UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL F. MERRITT, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPRQVEMENT IN SAFETY-PINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,341, dated February2, 1875 application filed November 2, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL` F. MERRITT, of Springfield, Hampden county,State of Massachusetts, have invented a Breast-Pin Catch, of which thefollowing is a specification:

The object of my invention is to provide a catch for the pin proper of abreast-pin that shall securely hold the pin and permit it to be caughtor released Without the application of undue force.

In the method in general use the pin is ,sprung at right angles to theplane of its hinge, to permit its point to be received within a loop orsocket, which then retains it but as it is difficult to proportion theforce applied by the hand to the resistance to be overcome in securingor releasing the pinV from its catch, the pin is frequently broken atits hinge,

' or bent to its equal injury; and as the pin is sprung to be caught orreleased in one motion, the breast-pin can, Without muchdiculty, bedetached by thieves.

To obviate these disadvantages, I substitute for the loop usuallyemployed the sleeve-nut '1), slotted at its upper side to -permit thepoint ot' the pin h tobe swung therein, the point, when so recessed,having the screw-socket a passed over it.

In the drawings, Figure I shows a partial longitudinal section of abreast-pin, with my improved catch. Fig. II is a plan view, and Fig. IIIa detail view.

The screw-socketcpasses through the lower end of sleeve b, as through anut, and, being hollow, as shown in Fig. III, passes over the point ofthe pin, and thus secures it.

In order to release the pin, the screw-socket a is retracted in its nutuntil the point of the pin is uncovered, when it is. free to be swung upthrough the sleeve b.

The sorewais provided with a head, d ,which lling the sleeve b andconsequently guiding and supporting the screw c, also serves to preventit from being entirely Withdrawn from its nut, and enables a mouth to beformed to the socket, to better pass over the pin-point.

. I am aware that, as in the patent of William Sherburne, March 13,1860, a hollow screw is used to be advanced over the point of a pin, tosecure it, and also as, in the patent of J. Rabbeth, July 11, 1854, twoslotted sleeves, one within the other, have been used to admit the pointof the pin when the two slots are coincident, to secure it by thepartial revolution of the inner one; but disclaim both devices, andconfine myself to the specific device shown.

The head of the screw, vwhen the pin is secured, comes against the lowerend of the breast-pin, and is in easy reach of the hand, whileinconspicuous.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim is- In combination withthe pin h, the slotted sleeve-nut b and screw-socket a, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

S. F. MERRITT.

Witnesses R. F. HYDE, EDWARD MoRRIs.

